Mobile Nav

Mexican Trucking Groups Suspend National Strike Over Cargo Theft and Highway Violence as Talks With Government Begin

Posted:

November 2, 2026

Mexican trucking organizations suspended a nationwide strike on Oct. 27, 2026, one day after drivers and fleet owners blocked highways to protest cargo theft, extortion and violence against truck drivers, FreightWaves reported Oct. 30. The groups, including the national freight carriers’ chamber CANACAR, HAMOTAC and FEMATRAC, agreed to working groups with Mexico’s Interior Ministry (Segob) on highway security, infrastructure, tax policy, and labor and social security issues. Segob counted 38 protest points in 19 states, involving 691 vehicles and 858 people, as of mid-morning Oct. 26. Organizers disputed that count and said they had a presence in all 32 states.

Leaders described the pause as temporary and conditional on authorities committing to specific measures and deadlines, according to FreightWaves, and no date has been set for new demonstrations. The suspension was not universal: El Mañana de Nuevo Laredo reported that HAMOTAC members in Zacatecas began intermittent blockades on Federal Highway 45 on Oct. 27 and said they would continue until national leaders met with authorities. Industry figures cited in both reports say 15 truck drivers have been killed in Mexico so far this year. Industry representatives also told FreightWaves that drivers and fleet owners often do not report crimes for fear of retaliation, and that stolen trucks can be hard to recover even after authorities locate them.

For U.S. and Canadian carriers, brokers and shippers that move freight to, from or within Mexico, the strike highlights highway theft and extortion as an ongoing operating risk on cross-border lanes. Because industry groups say many incidents go unreported, official crime counts may not reflect the full scope of the problem. The outcome of the Segob working groups, and whether protests resume, will be worth watching for anyone with Mexico-bound freight.